Believe it or not, online dating has been as popular an activity as real-life dating. Meeting persons online could actually be fun. It allows anyone to broaden someone's horizons and have an experience that is a lot fulfilling at the comfort of your own homes.



However, this is no excuse to lessen your common sense or turn your instincts off when making online dating decisions.

The following are seven effective tips to make online dating fun, safe and an ultimate success.

1.Reveal information only when you want to

Remember how a real, live date goes? One's usual opening line is, "let me introduce myself".

When online however, believe it or not, the process is basically the same. You really do not go out and tell people what your email address is, what your full name is or where you live.

In online dating, reveal only the information you want to share. As much as possible, do not allow any persons to pressure you to reveal anything unless you are completely ready to.

2.Be honest

Be it online or offline, nothing beats honesty. Being truthful is also a lot easier than constantly watching your back for anything you might have claimed to be true but is actually not.

From the onset, tell any of your prospective dates your honest intentions and you could be starting on a path towards a more meaningful relationship. Of course, common sense still applies and so it is always best to assess just who it is you are actually being sincere with.

3.Ask for a picture

Chances are, there were times you were in a particular situation where the person you were speaking with online wasn't the one who he claims he was.

You also may have a specific image of what that person looks like based from your fantasies and the description he provided. Before you set yourself up for frustration, it is always best to ask a picture.

There is probably a hundred percent chance that the person you are speaking with does not look like anything you imagined he would be. Asking for a photograph is the safest and surest way you somehow know who you are speaking with.

4.Act with caution

It is always better to be safe rather than sorry. When planning to meet with your contact online, pick a place which is open to the public and where there are many people around. It is always best to advise someone, a friend or a relative perhaps of where you are going.

Always leave your contact details. As much as possible, have your own means of transportation. When the date is through, you could leave all on your own. Take note that both parties must be satisfied with the venue and on any other details on the date.

5.Go dutch, pay for your own meal.

If you are a woman and the man offers to pay the whole bill, it is a sign of respect. However, there are those that do expect something in exchange for that free meal, especially if it is a first date and you do not know the person as much as you should.

Pay half the bill in order to not feel obligated to actually return any favors. However, there will be some men or women who will offer to pay the entire bill out of sincerity. Calmly and firmly insist you would rather split the bill and if you like the other person enough, you can hint of future dates that he or she can pay in full if he or she gets offended by going dutch. This is likely to soothe them and assure them you just want to play it safe in the meantime.

6.Don't tell your date your place of residence

This is a big no-no especially in online dating. If you do want to see your date again, go for a date the second time around.

7.Heed your gut feeling

If there is any time you simply do not feel right, something probably isn't right. Believe it or not, your instincts know better than your conscious self does so listen to it. Your unconscious can piece together bits of information that it thinks is illogical and notify your body (or gut in this matter) about the possible danger to you. So even if the date is just starting but you feel uncomfortable, leave as soon as possible. Your life is more important than creating a good first impression on your date.

All in all, successful online dating requires common sense and the feeling that you first need to love yourself more than anyone else. So do be careful when going out. You're definitely worth it.